China lodges protest over PCG official’s remarks

BEIJING has lodged a formal diplomatic protest with Manila after remarks by a Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) official that China called “malicious” and misleading, the Chinese Embassy in Manila said on Tuesday.

“China strongly condemns this and has lodged strong protests with the Philippine side,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Guo Jiakun said in a statement. He added that recent statements by Philippine uniformed personnel had spread disinformation and “wantonly smeared China’s image.”

“Certain Philippine uniformed service members, driven by personal political motives, have repeatedly made outrageous and absurd statements, in a habit of inciting confrontation,” Mr. Guo said. “Such behavior is despicable.”

The protest comes after PCG spokesman Jay Tristan Tarriela posted videos on social media showing him in front of a flat screen displaying artificial intelligence-generated images of Chinese President Xi Jinping.

Mr. Tarriela has also criticized Beijing’s aid to Filipino fishermen in the contested waters, calling it political propaganda.

The PCG official said his statements were factual, supported by video evidence, photographs, official PCG reports, satellite imagery and independent observations.

Mr. Guo called on the Philippine official to “refrain from making provocations against China and stop confusing right and wrong,” warning that there would be consequences if the behavior continued.

Philippine Senator Ana Theresia N. Hontiveros-Baraquel condemned the Chinese Embassy’s public attacks on the PCG official and urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) to respond.

“We must not allow the Chinese Embassy — or any embassy, for that matter — to disrespect public servants who are simply defending what is rightfully ours,” she said in a statement. “I expect the DFA to take this matter seriously.”

In a letter to Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Ms. Hontiveros asked what actions the agency had taken to ensure foreign diplomatic missions respect the limits of diplomatic conduct and refrain from targeting Filipino officials.

She also requested details on any steps taken regarding the Chinese Embassy’s recent posts.

Allowing China’s actions to pass without response risks normalizing foreign interference and undermining the dignity of Philippine institutions, as well as the safety of those tasked with defending the country’s national interests, she said.

Ms. Hontiveros said disputes between nations should be handled through diplomatic channels rather than public campaigns targeting individual officials.

“The Chinese Embassy is acting like a victim,” she said. “It is their country that fires water cannons at our personnel, threatens our fisherfolk, and destroys our marine environment.”

Relations between Manila and Beijing have worsened in recent years over overlapping claims in the South China Sea, a vital corridor for trillions of dollars in global maritime trade.

China has continued to assert and expand its presence in the disputed waters despite a 2016 United Nations-backed arbitral tribunal ruling that voided its expansive claims.

The Department of Foreign Affairs did not immediately respond to requests for comment. — Adrian H. Halili